


Gān Bēi

by ngm



Category: Kung Fu Panda - All Media Types
Genre: Battle Dads!, Cute Old Guys, Dads in Love, Feelings Realization, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Sake consumption, sassiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-10
Updated: 2016-11-10
Packaged: 2018-08-30 05:55:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8521015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ngm/pseuds/ngm
Summary: Set at the end of the 3rd movie during the evening celebrations after Po's defeat of Kai, some Dads converse, sideways flirt and find some well-deserved companionship at last.This is the first and likely last time I will ever do something anthropomorphic but it was hard to watch this without being like 'Look at Po's two dads-- They all deserve this'





	

**Author's Note:**

> "Gān Bēi" translates to "Cheers" in Mandarin

The celebration for Kai's defeat and Po's return to the mortal realm were unlike anything was seen in the little secret panda village-- the food flowed like water, the drink flowed like water, heck, the water flowed like water, but the jubilation was the most copious of the night. Not only was the village spared its destruction and so soon after being rebuilt; but Lotus, or Po as he was now known, had mastered Chi and saved them all. He had made them all so proud, his fathers, so proud. 

The Dragon Warrior sat among the circle of his peers, his panda-kin, his master; the laughing and consumption were admirable and fortunately, the fire that had been stoked in the center of the village was large enough to shed enough heat for cold-blooded folk who were new to the eager and cherubic Pandas. 

Beyond the edge of the circle and up a bit, a satisfied looking Li Shan sat with his legs dangling over the edge of his porch bridge, a wide smile on his black lips as he gazed down at the happy village. Look at his happy friends, at his glowing son! The heat from the fire was strong but only shed a glorious golden glow from where he sat. Boy, he hadn't felt this kind of peace in as long as he could remember.

His lidded jade eyes drifted down to the still illuminated hut beyond the other side of the massive fire, the gander that was responsible for his son growing up into such a treasure, still churning out dumpling after dumpling, until he had exhausted the wood in his stove. Li shifted to his feet, grunting as he made the walk down from his stoned carved hut, gingerly around the tiring but still smiling Pandas. He waved to Po, who was almost too distracted to be drawn away from his conversation with his friends. The older panda smiled, pleased none the less and before he knew it, he was standing at the paper door of the hut that Ping had been generously offered. (It was one of the main cooking huts, so no one really objected after finding out what an incredible chef he was) He rapped his knuckles against the thin pane of wood, lowering his hat over his belly as he waited for the fowl to look up.  
"Eh, yes, what is-- Oh."Ping's innate irritated tone softened a little as he looked up at the older Panda, drying his wings on an errant rag hanging from the stove, quickly looking back down as he attempted to find something to busy himself with.  
"Why don't you come join us in celebrating our son?" Li murmured, his frame filling the doorway as he moved inside.  
"Ah, I don't like big groups like that, it's not very much my style..." The bird responded quickly as he pulled the wet rag from the stove and cleaned the bottom of an already clean pot.  
"Why don't you come and join _me ___, then?" The big panda pushed, his smile a bit too charming for his own good. It was clear that the gander couldn't meet that smile because there was no chance he would be able to say "no" to it. He could hardly say no to Po, Li was a whole new battle. But without looking up, Ping acquiesced, setting down the cloth and adjusting his noodle bowl cap. It was very, stirring, to hear Li say "our son". He was so liberal with the familiarities, acting as if they already were a family.  
Ping, still feeling those eyes on him glanced up and then back down, grazing past the big panda, a soft squawk dying in his throat as he stepped into the cool night's air.  
"Aiiyahhh...!" He groaned, wrapping his wings around himself as he stood on the little porch and squinted at the fire. Ping spotted Po, laughing and leaning back on his arms with Tigress at one side and Monkey at the other. Once he located his--their? (As Li Shan so frequently noted) boy, he felt a fraction less tense. But still cold.  
"What's the matter?" Li rumbled, stepping out after him, sliding the paper door shut.  
"It's cold, that's what! How do you handle this, I mean, aside from the fur and all!" Ping chattered, his beak clicking together for dramatic emphasis.  
The smile on the big old panda's face went wide as he let out a low laugh and gazed down at the bird. _How cute was he?_ Li Shan adjusted the swatch of green cloth wrapped diagonally across his chest, making adequate space for the bird, who made another unceremonious squawk as he was lifted up and set into it.  
"Now just what do you think you're--?!" Ping began to shriek before he was welcomed back against that warm belly and snapped his beak shut. His eyes closed with a combination of embarrassment and contentment as he embraced the warmth being offered. There was a point in life where you take what you can get with grace and shut up. He recalled the exhilaration of being strapped to Li Shan as they walloped the hell out of Shifu and defended their son. Ah, Battle Dads! That was a memory he would cherish for all eternity! They really did work quite well together, didn't they-- Double Dad Defense! 

When his eyes cracked back open, Ping was being marched up a sturdy but shaky ramp and he tipped his head back against the panda's chest to look up at his smiling face. This was odd... But it was warm and horribly comfortable and he didn't have to make this silly trek, so what was the use in complaining this time. He let himself be carried up to Li Shan's hut without objection because he deserved a little time to relax too, right? The gander hadn't noticed that he'd lost focus again until he felt the panda slowing and setting him down. Now, this was more like it!  
Ping stretched his wings above his head and gazed down at the festivities, the fire still roaring but his feet still feeling a little too cold for his liking. He looked back over his shoulder at the retreating form of Li going inside and decided to settle down in the spot that had previously been occupied unbeknownst to him. He spotted Po again, who was talking animatedly to Tigress, leaning back on one arm as he gestured emphatically with his free paw. The tiger sat with a reserved look of amusement pursing her lips and Ping let out a soft sigh. Ah, someday, that would happen for their boy.  
He let out another sigh, this one a little longer as he reminisced and let his eyes get drawn to the bonfire.  
The only love he had ever allowed himself to feel was for, noodles, naturally and for Po. Love, the idea of it or a partnership in love had never been his fortune and thus, he never actively sought a mate. His noodle shop and then the sudden arrival of his little fat Radish had filled whatever loneliness he thought was in his heart.  
He _thought ___.  
Drawn out of his reverie by the return of Li Shan taking a seat next to him, Ping shifted a little, looking up at the other man, his son's true father and allowed himself a rare, eye-crinkling smile.  
"What?" Li asked, holding two little cups of steaming sake in his paws, offering one to the bird with a tip of his head.  
"Ah, thank you-- and it's nothing, nothing, I just feel... relieved, even a bit happy is all..." He trailed off, taking the hot cup and raising it a little before bringing it close to his beak so he could breathe it in.  
"That's not 'nothing'..." The panda murmured as he moved a little closer, leaning back on his now free arm, which slid a bit behind the bird. As if it had happened hundreds of times, Ping moved back into the crook of warmth offered and scoffed into his steaming cup.  
"What is it then?"  
"It's... something. I mean, I want the father of our child to be happy, don't I?"  
The bird tilted his head back and looked up at the panda, meeting his eyes for a little too long before he raised his cup to clink it against the other man's.  
"I can 'cheers' to that..." Ping said quietly, taking a sip of the hot sake, finally able to break eye contact. 

Li Shan let out a low chuckle and emptied his cup in one sip, setting it down before settling back on both arms, legs spreading a little as he gazed out at the celebration.  
"What was he like, when he was younger?" The panda asked softly, taking a deep breath in through his nose as he decided to open this wound, just a little. He shifted his weight, turning to face the smaller creature, giving Ping as much attention as he could muster.  
The gander shook his head, letting out a laugh as he drained the rest of his sake and set it down next to Li's. He kept his eyes on his own empty cup before clearing his throat and looking up at the heart-achingly familiar face.  
"Ah, he was a handful... Several handfuls really. Pudgy and cute but relatively well behaved!" The bird then sighed, a little honk leaving him as he looked back down, leaning into the warmth radiating from his son's _other_ Dad. "Ehh... very clumsy too! But he has filled my heart in a way that I could never have imagined... and yes, he makes me worry all of the time, but I wouldn't have it any other way... I love him, very, very much. More than anything..." Ping admitted wistfully, glancing at their son from the landing he was lounging on, looking at his perfect face glowing in the firelight.  
"He has your eyes..." He murmured suddenly, voice almost husky as he rose, reaching for and clinking their cups a little as he gathered them and stood. Li blinked in surprise as he was side-stepped and craned his head around to watch the bird enter his dwelling. The bear smiled and chuckled softly and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as his gaze returned to their son-- still laughing, now leaning over to speak more directly to his Tigress friend. 

"Sake's still on the fire..." Li called over with an equally bright smile, feeling a little flushed as he glanced back over his shoulder to see Ping pick up the steaming bottle and pour them some more of the strong drink. The bird set the bottle down carefully and picked up their cups, his eyes drawn to the little shrine for Po's mother... Then the picture of all three of them he'd set down for Li and he paused for a longer moment, considering what life had brought them.  
"We need to get a better drawing done..." Ping said casually as he padded back outside, handing the hot cup to the big panda and settling down next him once again.  
"One with you smiling would be nice..." Came a rumbled reply and the gander raised his cup to cheers to that as well. They kept their focus this time on Po as they sipped, Li managing not to down his drink in one shot.  
"And why is that...?" Ping asked as he sighed and moved to lean against Li Shan's leg.  
"Because it makes me happy to see the father of our son smile at me..." He murmured, turning to look at the other, the side of his mouth curled up in a bit of a grin.  
The bird felt gratefulness at his down, at not being able to show how flustered that statement had suddenly made him and glanced away with another little honking sound dying in his throat as he folded both of his feathered 'hands' around is cup, eyes back to the bonfire.  
"Maybe... it makes me happy to have someone to smile at..." Was the quick reply and Ping was the first to finish his drink this time.  
"How long _has_ it been since you've had someone to smile at, Ping?" Li pressed, finishing his cup of sake and shifting to lean on one arm, facing the ruffled bird. One pudgy finger curled beneath his beak and turned the gander's face so they could be eye to eye.  
"Well, I--" The bird cleared his throat, blindly setting down his empty cup. "I have never had someone to really smile at, Li..." He replied softly, his voice creaking as the moment between them stretched, eyes searching. In a flash, Ping had ducked back beneath the panda's thick arm, using the empty cups to steady himself before gathering them and scuttling inside. The bear had barely blinked twice before he whipped his head around to see what had happened to the bird, who let a chattering squawk resonate from his throat, tail feathers bristling as he righted himself, smoothing down his tunic. Ping glanced back at those distracting eyes and blew a little raspberry, eyes crinkling with his coy smile and let his attention be taken by locating the bottle of sake once again.  
Li Shan let out a chuckle which sounded a more like a groan, a grin spreading across his face once again as he shifted his position and took a deep breath through his nose, for the first time of the evening looking up at the night sky in an attempt to collect himself. This gander was flirting with him and had been for a while and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to finally do something about it.  
He had spent now several weeks in the company of his son and this silly bird who he felt so naturally in sync with and the coy behavior wasn't unusual at all. Sure, at first it had caught him a little off-guard... and suuuure, Ping was stubborn and apparently loved to complain and was possibly a cheater at Mahjong, but he was also very attentive and noticeably considerate... and surprisingly cute for a cranky little goose... so it wasn't much of a shock to Li himself as he felt a strange sense of comfort, as well as a sort of well... longing that he couldn't quite put a finger on. 

Loneliness was something he had become a master of and his diligence in becoming said master had been greatly rewarded. However, his reward for the strife of becoming one with being alone was the return of his son and the bird that accompanied him. How ironic, a bird would love his little dumpling as much as he did. The feelings of companionship were strong in the big old panda and who better to kindle those feelings with, than someone else who had only known loneliness and maybe even was predisposed to like him a little bit? 

When Ping returned, he was greeted with a heavy arm curling around his mid-section and drawing him with a surprised honk between the crescent of large furry legs. The bird seemed like he was about to recoil but instead let out a dramatically long sigh along with the tension in his body and held up Li Shan's steaming cup of sake beside his knee. Li was almost, _almost_ surprised at how easily Ping had given in... but it was more likely that he was going to get squawked at for not doing this sooner. The thought made the older panda grin.  
"Best seat in the house..." Ping murmured, tilting his head to give the panda a little side-eye and was met with the sound of their cups clinking together.  
"I can cheer to that..." Li rumbled in response, the arm that had curled around the bird not yet moving. Neither said anything about it and Ping let out another sound, this time something that sounded more pleased as he smiled into the steam of his sake. This really was godawfully comfortable... He could get used to this.  
"I want you to come back with me to the village..." Ping said after taking a sip of the hot drink. He was almost too casual about it as if this was a common topic of conversation, leaning the side of his face against Li Shan's chest as he set his cup down. The panda swallowed, his eyes going wide as he looked down at the bird, or tried to, his chins brushing against the top of the Ping's noodle cap.  
"Po moved out not too long ago to live at the Jade Palace and I could use the help at the noodle shop..." He continued, not admitting his loneliness outright and turned against the panda's chest. Ping was nearly straddling Li's belly, reaching up to grasp at the bear's shoulders with winged fingers, the distance between their faces narrowing. "You know... I could use a nice, strong man around..." Ping swallowed, feathers lightly trailing over Li Shan's chest, over the vest and up his thick arms before resting back on his shoulders. "Besides, Po needs his both of his fathers around, his family..." The gander breathed, gazing with lowered eyelids into the panda's rounded emerald eyes.  
"Family...?" The bear breathed, the word heavy on his lips as he stared back at the bird, his cup of sake carelessly tipped over as he raised his other hand to Ping's side, holding him against his chest. The bird nodded, daring to let his fingers tickle against the salt and peppering fur of his cheek, he tilted the panda's face a bit towards his own.  
"Mmhmm..." Ping nodded, nudging the tip of his beak against the corner of Li Shan's black-lipped mouth. The panda inhaled sharply through his nose, suddenly clutching the bird closer, almost squishing him as he felt overwhelmed at the little peck of a kiss.  
"I'll go anywhere to be with you--with Po-- With Us-- Uhh..." He corrected, swallowing his breath as Ping made a soft honk of a noise and pulled back just enough to meet the panda's eyes. "After all... how could I say no to the father of our son?" Li Shan almost whispered, lips grazing the tip of bird's beak.

There were no words for a moment as they held onto each other, the bird feeling no shame as wetness met his eyelashes while he gazed adoringly at the bear, then, let out a little bit of a groan in lieu of speaking, wrapping his wings tightly around his thick neck. He turned his face from where it was pressed to Li Shan's cheek to nudge his beak once again against the other corner of his mouth. Taking the hint, the bear shifted suddenly, pressing a kiss to the side of Ping's beak while turning and shifting the bird back against the cool wood of porch. The gander let out a slightly louder honk, his wings flapping in surprise before curling back up around the bear's neck.  
"Ooohoohoohoo... you are so warm!" The gander gasped, almost giggling as his eyes nearly slit shut from how hard he was smiling.  
"You don't know the half of it..." Li rumbled, pressing himself down and against the pleased bird, earning a low groan from each of them. He rubbed his face against the length of Ping's neck, delighting himself as he earned new noises of pleasure from the other. Each elated groan made his fur stand up just a little on end and with another burst of surprising agility, Li Shan had gathered up his companion, deciding maybe now was a good time to get a little privacy and a lot more comfort in the recesses of his hut. 

Ping was oddly compliant as he joined Li Shan on his bed, still wrapped in those big arms. He looked up at the panda and let out something close to a titter, his eyes shutting from happiness as he pressed his body up against the wall of soft heat.  
"A man could get used to this..." The gander murmured, voice low as he arched his back and let the pleasure of being held and warmed work through his body.  
"Oh yeah?" Li Shan panted out, his eyes also crinkled with the force of his smile, holding himself up above the slight bird as he pressed his mouth against the long neck, lifting his head to press his nose against Ping's beak, another chuckle panting out of him.  
"Aahh... yah..." The bird barely put together, clenching his feathered hands into fists as he pressed up against the lovely panda, wondering somewhere in his paranoid brain if he was drunk and dreaming all of this.  
The bear chuckled in response, not bothering to speak, rather pressing his mouth to wherever he could on the silky feathers of his most cherished fowl. He could never be able to thank Ping enough for raising their son into such an incredible creature, perhaps he could show him instead. 

Li Shan groaned, almost growling as he ground down against his bed, pushing his weight into the creature beneath him.  
"Wait-wait-wait..." Ping managed to honk out between breaths, feathered hands grasping Li's shoulders. The panda snapped out of his haze of lust and blinked down at the bird as he sat back on his knees and took a deep, shaky breath.  
"Is everything oka...y?" The words died in Li Shan's mouth as Ping wasted no time in diligently unbuttoning his tunic, pulling it off, folding it quickly and dropping it to the floor beside the bed, before depositing his noodle cap on top and moving to help pull the vest from the large panda's shoulders.  
Li swallowed again, an eager growl leaving his throat as he let Ping push the vest from him and then pull at the green cloth wound around his torso, the rope belt and waders soon followed. The two enamored creatures wrapped back around one another, the panda leaning back down over the heavily breathing fowl.  
They smiled at one another for a moment, the bird reaching up to graze his feathered fingers across his companion's cheek, then pulled him into a strong hug. 

Li Shan's face pressed back against Ping's neck and he buried his smile there, the two animals moving together on the bed. Each breath that left the gander was now in the form of a hoarse honk, said honks getting shamelessly louder as he continued to get wound up. Fortunately for both of the males, who were far too distracted with getting comfortable with one another, the sounds of Ping's enjoyment were just barely drowned out by the festivities. 

"Po?" Tigress' ear twitched and she bristled, shooting a sidelong glance to the stone cut hut that was outside of the circle and up a bit, her brow furrowing.  
"Eh, yeah, Tigress?" The panda turned with almost too much attentiveness to his idol and crush, his features shifting a bit into confusion as tried to read the look on her face.  
"Do you know where your fathers are?"  
Po tipped his head to the side, bringing in a finger to his lower lip in contemplation.  
"Um... no? They've got to be around here somewhere... why?" He asked with the sweetest kind of innocence and Tigress winced as another honk was squawked loud enough to slice through the party noise. She grit her teeth a little bit, eyes shutting as she exhaled through her nose and tried to find some inner peace.  
"Nothing, nothing, I was just wondering..." She lied and Po's smile became infinitely more radiant. In between the crook of Tigress' legs, Lei Lei had fallen asleep, her head on the feline's knee.  
"Well, that's nice of you..." He murmured, noticing the sleeping cub and yawning a little himself. "I should go and check on Dads before hitting the hay..." Po wondered aloud, reaching down to gather the panda cub from off of his friend. He looked around the circle of pandas for either of his fathers and shifted the baby in his arms before starting to get up but was halted by Tigress grasping his arm. Eyes still shut, she winced once more as (what she hoped) was the last of the impassioned honks, then looked sidelong at the panda, pulling him back down and then smoothing her hand over Lei Lei's sleeping cheek. "Why not stay a little longer..." And Po's eyes went a little wide as stared at Tigress and felt himself flush. Maybe someday, if he ever worked up the nerve, they could be sitting around a fire with their own cub... But for now, this would be well more than sufficient...  
"Well, if you insist..." He murmured, eyes drifting down to the kid in his arms and the idea of checking where in the world his fathers were had all but left his mind. 

It wasn't until the following morning, (Well, really almost noon) that Po took the trek across the bridge up to his father's hut. Rapping on the door, he expected Li would grumble something and poke his head out, but after the second knock and nothing, he took it upon himself to open the door, taking a few steps into the darkened room.  
There were two things that he instantly recognized. The first was the sound of his Dad snoring softly, every few breaths a quiet honk leaving his throat. The next was not as familiar but was the resonating sound of his other dad's deep snore.  
Still, it didn't dawn on the Dragon Warrior until he crept a bit closer to the bed tucked up against the back wall, eyes going as wide as he looked down at his dad... and dad, still sleeping against one another. He gasped, stuffing his hands in his mouth as he squelched the urge to squeal.  
"Aww..." He murmured, suddenly grinning as he absorbed the sight. The gander was curled into the crook of the old panda's arm, his long neck draped up over Li's shoulder as they snored together. Being the tremendous dumpling that he was, Po pulled the semi-discarded blanket over his two dads and bit his bottom lip as they snuggled closer together.  
"Cute..." Po breathed, tip-toeing backward out of the hut. He had to tell Tigress!!! 

Li Shan cracked an eye open, a paw moving to rub down the back of the bird pressed against him and smiled as Ping stretched his wing and spread it further across his chest. His smile broadened as he let his eye close and enjoyed the moments of twilight. 

"I know, Po."  
"How is that EVEN possible?!" The panda balked, throwing his hands up in the air as he stared at the tiger.  
"I have eyes, you know." 'And ears...' Tigress thought, shaking her head quickly in effort to get the residual memory out her brain.  
"You, ah do? Yeah! You do, of course, you do..." Po rambled, now rubbing the back of his head as he looked up at the hut both of his dads happened to be in and noticed the said two leisurely walking down the ramp. "Oh! Here they come! Stay cool!" The panda said in a hushed tone, completely unable to keep the foolish grin from his face and elbowed Tigress, who quickly caught his elbow and gave him a little nudge. "Relax." She hissed out of the corner of her mouth, keeping her face reserved. 

As Li and Ping approached, Tigress shut her eyes for a moment, wondering if it was possible for her to be more embarrassed at Po now bouncing from foot to foot with excitement than the fact that she very well knew that they found some level of intimacy with one another last night. At least it was... kind of... cute... in a way.  
"Dads!" Po exclaimed, rushing up to the ambling men and was met with an embrace from them both.  
"Son!"  
"Po!"  
They chirped in response and Po looked between them, grinning so hard that he was pressing his chins deep into his chest.  
"Why do you have that look on your face?" Ping murmured, his brows furrowing as he glanced at his son's goofy grin. His eyes narrowed a bit further as he glanced back at Tigress then leaned towards Li, patting his arm with his feathered hand.  
"Sometimes he gets like this, you know when he thinks he's wise to something..." The gander murmured as he held onto the older panda's arm.  
"Oh yeah?" Li grinned, raising his eyebrows in quick succession at their son, who let out a sound akin to a balloon slowly being deflated.  
"Eeeee...!"  
Ping shook his head, rolling his eyes and decided it would be best to only address Tigress at the moment, considering Po was in a sudden cycle of interrupting himself, looking at the tiger then pointing and looking between his two fathers.  
"When he comes back from... whatever it is he is doing, tell Po that I'm taking his father back home and repossessing his room."  
"Wait, what?!"  
"Okay," Tigress replied with a nod, the corner of her mouth just barely turning up with a smile.  
Li Shan shrugged in agreement, "Whatever he said!" His hand grazing down to press at the Ping's back before picking the gander up and holding him casually in the crook of his arm.  
"Li and I are going to sort out some, eh... details, Po, close your mouth!" The gander snapped, satisfied as his boy did as he was told, but was still beaming with excitement.  
And then the two older folks carried on, heading beyond where the bonfire had been in the center of the secret panda village.

"Did I... hear that correctly?" Po gasped, turning to face Tigress, his hands covering his mouth excitement.  
"Yes, I believe you did."  
The Dragon Warrior dropped to the ground, his legs unable to bear his weight any longer as he was overwhelmed by the news.  
"My DADS are coming back home with us, both of them!!! Can you believe it?!"  
Tigress just shook her head, allowing her smile to widen before she offered a hand to her companion.  
"Come on, let's go. They're going to gut your room, you know that..." She murmured, squeezing Po's hand as she hoisted him up.  
"Oh man, my room! Where am I going to put my action fig-- eh... l-let's get going!!!" 

Epilogue

Ping was (usually) always early to rise, lest he had been given his volume in drink the night before, but those days were... well... Nevermind. Today, was like most other days, stirring while the sun was just beginning to peek from the East. Uncurling his wing from the large panda who was snoring beside him, the gander smiled fondly, pulling on a dressing gown before padding quietly from the room. Diagonally across the hall, Po's former room was his destination. 

Stepping into the darkness of the west side of his home, Ping took a deep breath and exhaled it with a little honk, then set about his duties, indulging the desire to trace his fingers across the small paintings that now papered the walls. He really had given their Fat Radish the nicest room in the whole house, but that was moot now.  
He moved quietly to the shrine on the other side of the room, finding a match and striking it on the side of the short table. As he lit the series of candles, a gold glow illuminated the picture of Po's mother that Li Shan had managed to hold onto, for so long, now preserved between two panes of glass at Ping's suggestion. He knelt down before the altar and murmured a small prayer before lighting a stick of incense and taking a deep breath. He sighed through his nostrils, a weak honk leaving his throat as he pulled himself together, dabbing at the corner of his eyes with his sleeve. He was so... _grateful_.  
As the sun crept into the room, playing with the candle light, the paintings Ping had accumulated of their son began to become clearer. Ceiling to floor, wall to wall, were paintings of Po through his life, with his Dad and now, with both of his Dads, his friends, even a few with Shifu. There was finally a picture or two, or twenty of the gander smiling with his completed family, some of just he and Li Shan. There was no shame in how much he loved both of his pandas. How much he appreciated them both. Ping looked around the room, sighing again and smiled wider, eyes stopping on the doorway, where Li Shan was standing and yawning, one paw rubbing his big belly, the other rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  
"Mmmh, good morning..." The panda rumbled, moving into the room which also made him instantly smile; then to his bird, who he reached down to nuzzle his face against before kneeling at the altar in kind. The gander moved a little closer, always eager to siphon extra warmth from his very generous partner. Ping watched as the bear prayed, going through the same ritual that he had and finally when done, was smiling a little as Li opened his eyes and glanced at him. Both of their smiles widened as the panda curled an arm around the smaller creature and squeezed him closer, letting out a pleased breath as the nudged their noses together affectionately.  
"So! What should we do today!" Li began, picking up the bird and holding him casually in the crook of his arm as they headed out of the room and downstairs. They had formed a routine that had become particularly familiar for them, making breakfast together before getting started on the food prep for the day. Turned out that Li Shan was pretty handy in the kitchen as well! 

Po would surely stop in, several times (a day) and bring his family of friends for dinner every so often. Though he was disappointed that he didn't technically have a place to crash anymore, the panda was taken back when he entered his old room, which was now a shrine to his mom and really to him too. Heck, Dad was considering charging admission to the 'Former Den of the Dragon Warrior' but had been easily talked out of it by his other Dad under the pressure that it might embarrass their boy. And that it was their private space. And then they had started talking in hushed tones and Tigress had made up some reason to leave... Huh.  
For now, things were good. He couldn't remember seeing either of his fathers so happy... and it made him wonder of Oogway knew that they would end up like this in the first place. Po would have to ask. 

*<3* Done

**Author's Note:**

> YOU WERE NOT ALONE, gazing at the KFP3 movie in twisted awe of what was unfolding before your very eyes. I was sweating about doing something about this... urge, whatever it was, to create some kind of universe where these two old creatures could have some peace. I spent several days writing this and endeavored to be as true to form as possible. This had been rolling around my head for months and again, I stress, I not only feel no shame but am 110% pleased how it turned out and have more on the way. The Li/Ping or PiLi pairing is just too precious to me and I felt more than compelled to share the madness in my head with those of you who are willing to delve. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it


End file.
